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Housing

​​​​​​​​​​​​​DEBSWANA CORPORATE CENTRE EMPLOYEES

Debswana Diamond Company does not, as a rule, provide housing to its Gaborone employees. The Gaborone independent housing market provides a variety of options from which to choose. There are further options for an employee to look at outside of Gaborone in one of the nearby villages, where good-quality housing is available on the open market

Debswana Diamond Company does not directly look for houses for employees. There are real-estate agents available in town that can assist with finding and securing accommodation.

The employee is expected to enter into a lease agreement independently. Debswana Diamond Company does not take any responsibility for any obligations arising out of an employee’s lease agreement.​

Housing
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Watch Jwaneng Housing Video

Watch OLDM Housing Video


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MINE EMPLOYEES

The rules and regulations are similar for both OLDM and Jwaneng. Here are some important facts and information.


 

HOUSING POLICY AND PROCEDURE

A Housing Policy provides a framework for the orderly and transparent allocation and occupation of Company accommodation in terms of a well-defined criteria.

The Procedure covers the allocation of mine houses and specifies the standards that are to be maintained in these houses as well as the maintenance procedures that must be followed. They also specify the rules of tenancy.


 

HOUSING POLICY DEFINITIONS

  • Employee – a person employed by the Company
    • On a fixed term contract of not less than 12 months
    • An indefinite contract basis.
  • Married Employee – an employee who is legally married and produces a Marriage Certificate in support thereof.
  • Single Employee – an employee who has never married, or has dependent children with no spouse.
  • Single Parent – a female employee who has dependent biological or legally adopted children, or a male employee who has legally adopted children, or legal custody of biological children and does not have a spouse.
  • A Service Provider is an entity that provides services to the Mines.

USE OF ACCOMMODATION & ALLOWANCES

  • Houses shall be used for accommodation purposes only.
  • Business activities (brewing of liquor, hair salons, fish trading), subletting are not allowed.
  • Violation of lease clause(s) shall result in termination of lease.
  • Rental allowance – There are different rates paid to employees housed and employees not housed by the Company.
  • Upset Allowance – Paid to employees who are required to move houses e.g. transfer to sites, marriage, promotion. GBF 6 and above are excluded from upset allowance for internal moves.

HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS – MARRIED ACCOMMODATION

JOB GRADE HOUSE TYPE
A & B A & B Band House
B1-B4 B Band House
C1-C4 C Band House
GBF GBF House

Single Parent Accommodation shall be treated in the same manner as Married Accommodation.

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HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS – SINGLE ACCOMMODATION

JOB GRADE HOUSE TYPE
A & B band B Band flats or shared B Band house
C band C band house, C band flatlets or flat
GBF GBF

When a proper house is identified and not accepted, the employee will wait for six months before being allocated.

WAITING LIST POINT SYSTEM

  • Date applied.
  • Date qualified.
  • Seniority = 4 points awarded per sub grade.
  • Married = 3 points. Single = 1 point.
  • Children = 1 point per dependent child under 21 years up to maximum of 3 points.

HOUSING MAINTENANCE (OLDM)

Any defect that requires the attention of Township Maintenance personnel must be reported via:

  • OLDM: Telephone ext 32396/33000
  • Email: MaintenanceReports@debswana.bw
  • Walk-in-service
  • Emergency repairs after working hours are routed via ext 2210.
  • The Town Engineer will evaluate whether a call-out was necessary or not. If the call-out was not necessary, all overtime incurred will be paid for by the tenant.

HOUSING COMMITTEE

The Committee meets monthly and its roles are:

  • Consider requests for modifications & improvements from tenants.

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  • Consider special requests such as extended stay at the end of contract/tenure or upon bereavement or change of status.
  • Guide Housing Section on special allocations for accommodation e.g. houses for lateral moves, allocation to service providers, medical requests.
  • Reviewing and setting accommodation standards for the different job grades.
  • Serves as the review body in the event of serious violations of the lease agreement/ Housing Policy as well as ratifying the applicable penalties such as evictions.

HOUSING STaFF & RESPONSIBLE OFFICERS FOR OLDM

  • Housing Officer, Telephone ext. 32990 – C and A Band Married, Committee Secretary, Cleaning Contractor
  • Housing Officer, Telephone ext. 32343 – B Band Married, Gas Contractor
  • Housing Officer, Telephone ext. 32495 – Band 6, Removals Contractors
  • Housing Officer, Telephone ext. 32990​​ – A,B, C Single employees, TRI

JWANENG TOWNSHIP MAINTENANCE

To log a maintenance work request:

  • Send an email to mmaintenance@debswana.bw
  • Report in person to the Township Maintenance offices
  • Telephone 5884806 or 5884843
  • After normal working hours, or on weekends or public holidays, emergency maintenance work requests are logged via the Mine Base Control Room Operator at 5884236 or 71386006

Tenants have the following responsibilities during the repair process:

  • To avail themselves during repair/ maintenance.
  • To pay for property damages resulting from negligence.
  • To ensure that dogs and other pets are kept away or restrained at all times from maintenance personnel.
  • To move furniture and other belongings to allow access.
  • To adhere to the conditions of the lease agreement at all times.